(Reuters) -Nine-times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb is out of the Dakar Rally after he rolled his Dacia in the Saudi desert on Tuesday as the race continued to take a toll of the big names after the exit of 2024 winner Carlos Sainz.

Nineteen-year-old Saood Variawa of South Africa became the youngest top-class driver to win a stage in the Dakar Rally.

Al Rajhi secures victory in 2-day second stage in car class, while Daniel Sanders triumphs in bike class - Anadolu Ajansı

There’s no easing into the 2025 Dakar Rally, as organisers have thrown some of the biggest challenges at competitors immediately. Stage 2 is the notorious 48-hour Chrono and tonight the convoy sleeps out in the desert,

Lithuanian driver Rokas Baciuška has proved he’s a contender in the Dakar Rally after winning the longest stage in the Saudi Arabia desert.

Local favourite Yazeed Al-Rajhi won the 48-hour second stage of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia on Monday, despite a penalty for speeding, as South African Henk Lategan took the overall lead for the factory Toyota team.

Sebastien Loeb struggled to complete Stage 3 of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday after rolling his car near the start, a setback that is likely to cost him his dream of a first title in the event. Loeb, who has finished second three times in the Dakar Rally,

Lithuanian driver Rokas Baciuška proved he's a contender in the Dakar Rally when he won the longest stage in the Saudi Arabia desert on Monday. Baciuška was 22 minutes off the lead starting the second half of the two-day,